0:01
Finn: Ah, this is insane.
Search this video
0:12
Sean: Hey, what's going on, everybody?
0:12
For <i>First We Feast</i>, I'm Sean Evans, and you're watching <i>Hot Ones</i>.
0:15
It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
0:15
And today we're joined by Finn Wolfhard.
0:18
He's a busy guy, currently filming the final season of "<i>Stranger Things</i>", and on March 22nd, he's back with the proton pack for "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire".
0:26
He also writes, stars and directs the slasher film "<i>Hell of a Summer</i>", which premiered last year at the <i>Toronto Film Festival</i>, and all that weren't enough, he's in a band as well.
0:33
Check out "The Aubreys", wherever you get your music.
0:33
Finn Wolfhard, at long last, welcome to the show.
0:38
Finn: Thank you for having me.
0:40
Sean: I know that it was not an easy journey to get here. Thanks for coming in. Finn: Oh, my God. It was, it's an honor. Yeah.
0:46
Sean: What's going through your head as you prepare to take on the <i>Hot Ones</i> gauntlet, finally?
0:49
Finn: My brother, I got, like, five texts from my brother this morning being like: "You just have to finish the gauntlet."
0:52
, like, "I won't respect you, if you don't finish the gauntlet." .
0:56
So, uh, it seems like I have to, um, today... Yeah.
0:59
Sean: We're gonna do your brother proud.
1:01
Finn: We're gonna do my brother proud.
1:01
Sean: Are you ready to you ready to get started Finn? Finn: Let's do it. Yeah. Perfect. Great. Just great. How great is this? Sean: Look at us. Finn: Oh, yeah. The "look at us". The "look at us". Yeah. Mr. Paul.
1:39
Paul Rudd: <i>Hey, look at us.
1:39
</i> Sean: So, last year, you debuted "<i>Hell of a Summer</i>", a film that you not only star in, but also co-wrote and directed.
1:49
Is there a different kind of pressure as an actor or director, when you're creating a scene that's designed to shock and scare an audience? Finn: Definitely.
1:56
I think, um, it's weird when you're an actor in a horror movie, because you're so disconnected.
2:03
As a director, you kind of have no choice but to be immersed in it, because you can see the movie in your head.
2:07
But, in a lot of ways, it's the hardest thing to edit, ever.
2:11
Comedy and horror kind of similar, where it's, like, it's all about the rhythm of it, and if it's off, then you have, like, kind of a bum scene. Um, but yeah.
2:20
Sean: How are we feeling after wing one? Finn: I feel great.
2:21
I feel, uh, I feel like this Pepto-Bismol...
2:25
Sean: A little shot that you took ahead of time? Finn: ...
2:25
has, has coated me, and I feel fine, for now. Okay.
2:34
How do people get onto the show?
2:39
Like, how do you determine who's, what sauce is gonna get on the show?
2:44
Sean: It's a very involved process.
2:46
Chris Schonberger's here.
2:46
And then we also have, uh...
2:48
Finn: Where's Chris Schoenberger? Sean: Raise your hand. Finn: Hey, Chris.
2:49
Sean: There he is, right behind the camera. Finn: Nice to meet you.
2:53
Sean: And they do very carefully curate this thing season over season, so...
2:57
Finn: It's not, like, some random guy making hot sauce in a bathtub?
3:00
Who's like: "I gotta get my sauce on." .
3:03
Sean: But, we'll check at the end.
3:05
You can tell Chris if he did a good job or not. Finn: Okay.
3:05
Sean: Does that sound good, Finn?
3:05
Finn: Chris, so far, so good.
3:11
Sean: So, maybe the only plus side of the recent <i>SAG</i> strike, is that it allowed you to 100% focus on making music with your band, "The Aubreys".
3:18
What do you mean when you say that you can't imagine making music in anything other than a Vancouver state of mind? Finn: Um, yeah. It's funny. I mean, I, I...
3:24
it sounds so funny, uh, out loud.
3:30
Um, Vancouver, I feel like, is a place where I can get bored and just go out in nature and walk around, and it's very inspiring. Sean: Very beautiful. Yeah. Finn: Yeah.
3:39
And so, I can get very easily inspired, I think, in Vancouver, because I can just kind of walk around and, and kind of think a lot.
3:47
Sean: Is there anything special or significant about <i>Neptune Records</i>?
3:51
Finn: Yeah, I mean, that, that record store is amazing.
3:55
Um, because it, the, the guy who owns it has, like, this huge vintage, um, poster collection.
4:03
So, like, if you go in the basement, he has, like, all these incredible, like, first print band posters that he's just been collecting since the 60s.
4:10
So, there's, like, really great stuff and great history underneath.
4:13
But, also it's Nardwuar's.
4:13
It's Nardwuar's record store, which, you know... Sean: Legend.
4:16
Finn: You guys, I feel like you guys are, like, spiritual cousins in some way.
4:21
Sean: That's such a compliment. Yeah. Finn: Yeah, yeah. He's great. Finn: "Funky's".
4:28
Sean: While filming "<i>It</i>", is it true that you were personally asked who you'd want to play your adult counterpart, and if so, was there any special reason that you chose Bill Hader to play the adult you? Finn: Um, yeah.
4:41
No, we, we talked about that all the time, you know, on set, because we knew that there was, um, an adult portion of it and that, like, that was a huge part of "<i>It</i>", in the story.
4:51
In my head, I always thought about, it's like: "Yeah, would he grow up to be a comedian?
4:54
Would he grow up to be kind of like Bill Hader type, doing all these kind of impressions?" .
4:59
And then, also, I think as, like, a lifelong Bill Hader fan, I was like: "How cool would it be to be in the same room as Bill?" .
5:07
Um, and it worked out, which is crazy. Yeah.
5:11
Sean: Is it true that Bill Skarsgard can make his eyes go two different directions?
5:14
Like, that's not some sort of special effects... Finn: No. Sean: ...
5:14
trick that's done in post, right? Finn: No. Yeah. Bill, Bill can...
5:18
yeah, he can, like, move one eye to the right.
5:23
And you can see in the movie. Like, he does it.
5:25
It's such a perfect weird thing for that character, I feel like. Three down.
5:30
Sean: This next one is "Los Calientes". Finn: Okay. This is yours? Sean: It is. Finn: Yeah.
5:34
Sean: But, if you don't like it, you can let us know.
5:36
Finn: I think, I've got, I got the Barbacoa... Sean: Ooh. Finn: ... <i>Hot Ones</i> one. Sean: All right.
5:40
Well, here, we'll send you home with this one. Finn: Hey! Sean: Here you go.
5:43
We're doubling up the SKUs over there. Finn: Yeah.
5:45
Well, I ,mostly, just came for the free shit.
5:52
That's what I was saying, I was like: "I wonder if people get the sauces?" . And now we know. Great. Perfect.
5:56
Sean: And whatever else you want.
5:56
Just take a look around, Finn. Finn: Chris?
6:00
You're coming home with me. Back to Atlanta.
6:08
Sean: So, "<i>Stranger Things</i>" is the kind of generational global hit that necessitates you to do media press tours all over the world.
6:15
What stands out as the most bizarre or unique talk show appearance you've ever done abroad?
6:21
Finn: Oh, it's a great question.
6:22
I went to Japan with a few friends just for fun, and I walked off the plane and there was someone with a camera and, like, a microphone, and they were, they were interviewing all these people, and they came up to me and they were interviewing me, and they were like, you know: "Why are you in Japan?"
6:39
And I thought it was, like, I guess in my, like, ego.
6:41
I thought it was like a <i>TMZ</i> situation where I was, like, these random people were, like, right outside the gate and they had, like, a camera, and they were immediately...
6:48
and I found out, there's a show in Japan, it's one of the most, like, successful comedy shows in Japan, when foreigners come off the plane, and tourists, they interview them and say: "Why are you in Japan?
7:01
Can we spend the day with you?" .
7:03
And I was like: "No, you cannot follow me around." . You know, whatever.
7:06
You watch it, it aired and it says, like they're interviewing me and it's like, uh, you know, they're like: "He gave us his email."
7:13
, and then it was like: "We sent him all these emails. He ignored us." .
7:19
Um, and, uh, someone told me, later, that it was a popular show.
7:24
So, that, I guess, is kind of the weirdest thing. Sean: That is... Finn: ... weird show... Sean: ... very strange. Finn: ... that I've been on. Yeah. Coincidence.
7:28
Sean: Do you, kind of, regret not letting them follow you around?
7:28
Finn: Absolutely, I regret it. Finn: Yeah. Next time. Next time. Okay. Oh, yeah. Sean: This is like a... Finn: Yeah. Finn: This is the, um...
7:45
This is the kind of taste that, like, you know that something's gonna happen.
7:51
Sean: It is, uh, immediately kind of violent. Finn: Yeah. Finn: It's stabbing. Sean: Mhm. Finn: It's stabbing me.
7:57
Sean: Speaking of slashers. Finn: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
7:57
It's stabbing, it's slashing my tongue. Sean: Fact or fiction?
8:01
When you were making your directorial debut with "<i>Night Shifts</i>", the short film "<i>Night Shifts</i>", which takes place in a real life convenience store, that there was an attempted robbery during filming? Finn: Yeah.
8:10
Yeah, the short is about, yeah, it's about a robbery that happens, um, uh, between, uh, a clerk and a robber, and they end up being, uh, old friends from high school.
8:23
And in real life, while we were shooting the robbery scene, a guy came in with, like, a fake, a fake, like, uh, he, like, welded like a fake gun together through, like, bike springs.
8:34
It was, like, the weirdest thing ever.
8:34
And he came in and just, like, kind of brandishing this, like, this fake gun.
8:39
And Artoun who was, like, the guy that's playing the, um, the, the, the burglar, turned around with his fake gun, and they were just pointing fake guns at each other on the standoff.
8:49
And everyone was completely...
8:49
it was, literally, I mean, it was just, I mean, just like this, basically.
8:52
And, uh, and I was like, sitting there directing and I was like: "What's, what, what's going on?" .
8:58
And I, like, kind of peeked out and I saw this standoff going on, and I was like: "What? What is happening ?"
9:01
, and the guy left and it was this really...
9:01
and everyone, like, for the, I was, like, because I was so into, I was like: "Cool, let's move on."
9:10
, and everyone was like: "No!
9:12
what the fuck just happened?" .
9:13
I was like: "No, it's, just fine. Let's keep going." . Um...
9:16
Sean: Let's build n that. Finn: Yeah.
9:17
Sean: Let's build on that energy. Finn: Let's, yeah...
9:18
uh, this one's just for you. Um, yeah. It was, uh, it was nuts.
9:24
I, I forgot that that happened. So crazy. Five down. Okay. Fine for now. Sean: Yeah. Finn: Is this a builder? Sean: It does.
9:41
It has kind of a time release on it. Finn: Oh, God. Sean: Mhm. Finn: Yeah. It's one of those. Sean: Yeah. Finn: Great. Great.
9:50
Sean: Is there a moment that you can identify as being pivotal in developing your point of view as an actor versus, you know, being a child star and feeling like your only responsibility is to hit your marks?
10:00
Finn: I'm, you know, I was really lucky to have great, great friends around me, great family and support system and... Oh. Sean: Yeah. Finn: Oh. Yeah.
10:10
Sean: Gets serious back here. Finn: We're good.
10:11
Um, I don't watch thoroughly "<i>Stranger Things</i>" stuff really often, but I've seen little clips and stuff and I'm like: "Man, I didn't know what I was doing back then." .
10:21
And, like, in a lot of ways, I think that really helped me.
10:25
And now, like, as you get older, you get so much more, like, kind of, like, self-obsessed and, like, you get a little more in your head.
10:31
And I feel like I've learned so much more, obviously, since then.
10:34
Um, but I wish that I had a little bit of that, like, kind of...
10:39
Sean: Youthful ambition... Finn: That naivite... Sean: ... and energy. Finn: ... or whatever. Sean: Yeah. Finn: Yeah.
10:41
Um, but, you know, you have to grow and learn, or else you would be 12 for the rest of your life. And we don't want that. "The Forbidden Fruit". Mhm.
11:00
Sean: This will be a little more...
11:02
Finn: A little more amped up. Sean: Mhm. Finn: Great.
11:04
I just can't, I can't say anything else, but great, like, there's nothing else to say. Sean: Yeah.
11:09
Finn: Than, like, let's do this. Sean: Yeah.
11:11
You know, my eyes are watering a little bit. Finn: Yeah. Yeah. Sean: Right now.
11:15
But, I can still see ya, through the spice fog of war over here.
11:18
Finn: Have you ever been in a position where it's just, like, a thick glaze, a thick fog?
11:22
Sean: You know, sometimes it can be like driving in the snow over here. Finn: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
11:28
Sean: So, your hometown of Vancouver is one of the world's premier film production cities.
11:32
How, if at all, did growing up in the <i>Hollywood</i> of Canada feed into your hunger to entertain?
11:38
Finn: <i>Vancouver Film School</i>, you grow up, um, you know, uh, around and, uh... Oh, yeah. What a sauce.
11:49
Um, you know, I remember "<i>Twilight</i>".
11:52
It was like "<i>Twilight</i>" would come to Vancouver every year, because they would film a new movie.
11:56
And I remember, like, them shooting by my house and being like: "Wow, real movie trailers and all these things." .
12:02
So, it definitely had an impact on how I looked at, like, uh, getting an audition as a kid was very tangible, because they would shoot so many commercials.
12:10
So, like, I had friends in elementary school that just, like, would show up to open casting calls.
12:13
It was like a very, like, normal thing. Um, yeah...
12:18
Sean: What is the goat school field trip for a kid growing up in Vancouver?
12:22
You know, <i>Science World</i>, from the outside looking in... Finn: Oh, man... Sean: ... it's kind of incredible.
12:25
Finn: You are asking the right questions. Uh, yeah.
12:28
Um, <i>Science World</i> was incredible.
12:32
There's like a, like a gold mining place, called "Britannia Mines", that you go, it's, like, an hour away and, like, it's very pirate, you know, you feel like a ,kind of, like a pirate kid, 'cause you're like, you know, going through dirt, and trying to find...
12:43
Sean: Mining for fool's... Finn: Yeah. ... gold out there?
12:46
Finn: Yeah, mining for fool's gold. Sean: How about this?
12:47
Do you have an all time favorite Canadian athlete?
12:50
Finn: Uh, Luongo was, like, such a huge figure for us, growing up.
12:54
He's so synonymous with Vancouver, because of his time with the "Canucks", and, um, and that's kind of who I always think of, when I think of Vancouver athletes. Sean: Yeah.
13:03
Finn: He always comes to mind.
13:04
Sean: Well, you know what?
13:04
The way that you're running this gauntlet, you, to me, right now, you look like a Vancouver athlete. Finn: Oh. Thank you.
13:10
Sean: Winning this marathon against the wings of death. Finn: Yeah.
13:13
Sean: But, this next sauce is kind of like that 21 mile mark.
13:17
This is "Da' Bomb Beyond Insanity". Finn: Yeah.
13:21
Sean: There's a familiar smile there.
13:23
Finn: This is the one that I've been told is the worst. Sean: Time will tell. Finn: Let's do it. Cheers, man. Sean: Cheers. Finn: Yeah.
13:33
Oh, I immediately coughed. Dude. Yeah! Oh, my God. Yeah.
13:45
Sean, my answers are gonna get worse.
13:48
And they were bad before. Sean: No. No.
13:50
Eloquent all the way through. Finn: Yeah.
13:53
Sean: And I think we're only gonna shake something loose.
13:53
We're gonna only unlock something from here. Finn: I agree.
13:57
And it's like a, it's like a trip. Sean: It really is.
14:00
Actually, I start to get a little lightheaded about this point.
14:06
Sean: And as long as I'm...
14:06
Finn: We're in it together. Sean: ... there, baby.
14:08
Sean: Yeah, we're in the atmosphere.
14:09
Finn: We're in the atmosphere.
14:09
I'm not gonna touch the water. Sean: Respect. Finn: Yeah. Sean: So...
14:11
Finn: Fuck it, I'm gonna touch the water.
14:15
Sean: Considering your taste in music and movies, you know, you strike me as an older soul in your, in your proclivities.
14:22
What makes the Alan Parker written, 1971, British rom-com "<i>Melody</i>" one of your favorite films? Finn: Oh, my God. Uh. Great question.
14:34
Um, that movie, I think, encapsulates, like, young love in such an incredible way. And it also, um... Oh, man. Sean. Sean: I know, I know.
14:51
Finn: Uh, it also has an incredible soundtrack.
14:54
Jack Wild is such a brilliant, brilliant actor, and I think it was just a huge movie from my childhood, because of how, uh, taps into this, like...
15:00
your childlike, kind of, juvenile, raising a little hell nature.
15:07
Sean: Did you learn anything eye opening about the making of "<i>Deliverance</i>", doing your <i>YouTube</i> deep rabbit hole, rabbit hole deep dive on the making of the film? Finn: Yeah. Um...
15:17
me and Gaten, from the show, Gaten Matarazzo, from "<i>Stranger Things</i>". Sean: Of course. My dog.
15:28
Finn: Shout-out to my dog.
15:28
Um, we were having, like, a slow, nice night. It was very relaxing.
15:36
I was like: "Let's watch a movie."
15:36
, and he was like: "Okay, cool.
15:39
Let's watch something chill." .
15:39
So, we walked out of the room and took a shower, and I just pulled up "<i>Deliverance</i>".
15:47
I said, this looks chill.
15:50
This is gonna be, it's the perfect movie for us tonight.
15:54
And, um, we were like: "Oh, this is interesting.
15:56
It's like an adult "<i>Stand by Me</i>".
15:56
In about 45 minutes, then we were like: "This is nothing like "<i>Stand by Me</i>"." .
16:03
Sean: There's a gear shift. Yeah.
16:04
Finn: There's a big gear shift. Um, yeah.
16:06
I mean, that sounded absolutely insane.
16:10
The cast is doing all their own stunts.
16:13
They're moving down a river in a canoe.
16:17
Like, you can never do that now.
16:19
Um, it's also just very funny, because... ah, this is insane.
16:23
It's funny, because Burt Reynolds is in that film, and he's amazing in it, but he's very cool.
16:35
But, my favorite Burt Reynolds performance is "<i>Boogie Nights</i>", and that's the movie that he hated the most, being in it.
16:40
And, um, it was funny to see him in this other light.
16:44
Oh, it's starting to calm down a bit. Sean: Yeah, right.
16:45
And you know what's tough about this show? Finn: Mhm.
16:50
Sean: Is that when one wing goes down...
16:52
Finn: Another one has to come back up? Sean: Yeah, exactly.
16:53
It's a roller coaster ride here. Finn: Okay. Sean. Sean: Here we go. Finn: Yeah. Okay, let's do it.
16:59
Try not to get any on my lips. Sean: Smart. Finn: Oh. Oh!
17:15
Sean: So, it's been an insane year for video games, and TV, and movies, you know, "<i>The Super Mario Bros</i>" movie, one of the biggest hits of the year.
17:22
You have the acclaim, that went with <i>HBO</i>'s "<i>The Last of Us</i>".
17:25
As someone who was captured by the gaming bug, ever since you discovered "Final Fantasy X", is there a game that you think is most deserving of a silver screen adaptation? Finn: Yeah.
17:35
I had an idea to do a "Crazy Taxi" movie.
17:42
And, uh, my idea was, like, it's "<i>Collateral</i>", but it's "Crazy Taxi".
17:46
I think that'd be very fun. Sean: Yeah.
17:51
Finn: I don't wanna swallow it, just 'cause I don't want, I don't know what's gonna happen in here. Sean: No. That's smart. Finn: I don't wanna mix.
17:58
Sean: And I know all that you went through to get here.
18:01
And I know it's almost a return flight, immediately.
18:04
Finn: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:04
Well, you know, <i>Delta Air Lines</i>, I'm sure, would love me to shit my pants on their plane. They love me. I'm a valued customer. Is it happening? Sean: It's happening. Finn: Oh, man. I'll do it with you. Sean: I saw that coming. Finn: Let's do this.
18:27
It comes out faster than I thought. Sean: There you go. Sean: That's perfect. Finn: That's good? Sean: That's perfect. That's perfect.
18:33
Finn: Oh, that's so much. Okay. Sean: All right, Finn. Finn: Cheers, Sean. Sean: What a run. Finn: Great to see you. Sean: Good to see you.
18:41
Finn: Oh, this tastes good. Sean: At first. Finn: Yeah.
18:46
Sean: And then it builds. Finn: So far, so good.
18:49
Sean: Mushrooms, a little bit. Finn: Oh. Sean: Right. Finn: Yeah, right. Oh, yeah.
18:57
Now, I kinda, I understand what you're talking about. Sean: Right.
18:58
You know, and I just wanna be trusted, you know, I wanna be trusted over here. You know?
19:02
I just wanna be honest with you. All right, Finn?
19:04
Finn: Listen, there's nothing that's, like, about this show, that's, like, you know what you're getting yourself into.
19:10
Sean: Nothing's taking you by surprise.
19:12
Finn: I don't think anyone...
19:12
I think it's unfair, if anyone comes in and goes like: "What the hell? These are really hot." . Sean: I agree with you. I agree with you, Finn.
19:18
It happens every once in a while. But, I agree with you. Finn: Yeah.
19:21
Sean: But, the good news is the wings of death are behind us.
19:25
We've covered a lot of ground today, but to close things out, I wanna complete the circle with a shared interest of ours. Okay? Finn: Yeah.
19:31
Sean: On the <i>Lackluster Video</i> podcast, you dissect some of your favorite films, and in the very first episode, you, actually, dissected my favorite film of all time.
19:42
And that's "<i>Windy City Heat</i>". Finn: Yeah.
19:44
Sean: With your brain and mouth on fire, what makes that film a classic?
19:49
Finn: That movie is a perfect, perfect film.
19:52
It's, maybe, my favorite comedy ever.
19:55
It's so mean spirited, but it's so funny because the guy deserves it. Perry deserves it.
19:59
To me, what makes a perfect comedy is when people just, they can't help themselves and they have to always put themselves in the way... whoa... of themselves.
20:09
That's a movie that's, like, it's not only, it's, like, real life.
20:13
I also just love that Bobcat Goldthwait plays himself.
20:18
And he just, the whole time he just talks through a megaphone. It's really great.
20:24
Sean: But you can come up for air right now, because you have taken on the wings of death and live to tell the tale. Finn: We did it.
20:28
Sean: And now there's nothing left to do, but roll out the red carpet for you. Finn: Okay.
20:31
Sean: This camera, this camera, or this camera.
20:31
Let the people know what you have going on in your life. Finn: Okay.
20:35
Uh, I'm shooting "<i>Stranger Things</i>" season 5, which is the last season of "<i>Stranger Things</i>", and that should be coming out in the next ten years.
20:43
Um, "<i>Ghostbusters</i>", it's coming out next month, so I'm very excited for that.
20:50
I co-directed a film called "<i>Hell of a Summer</i>", which we premiered at TIFF, and, hopefully, that will come out this year.
20:55
Um, and uh, yeah, I have a solo album coming out this year and, uh, yeah, well, everyone go watch the "<i>Windy City Heat</i>", if you want a funny movie.
21:06
And, uh, thank you for having me, Sean. This is great. We did it, man. These are great.
21:15
This is, obviously, this is just like battery acid. Sean: Yeah.
21:18
Nothing, uh, nothing fun about that.
21:20
Finn: Nothing fun about this.
21:22
It says: "Keep out of reach of children.
21:24
Consume one drop at a time." . You guys, what the fuck? No, no. I just, I know, I know. Oh.
21:37
Sean: Hey, what's going on, <i>Hot Ones</i> fans? This is Sean Evans.
21:39
Thank you so much for watching today's episode.
21:42
And if you would like to get the taste of <i>Hot Ones</i> delivered right to your door, well, I have good news for ya.
21:47
The season 23 <i>Hot Ones</i> 10 Pack is available now. <i>heatonist. com</i>, <i>heatonist.
21:51
com</i>, that's <i>heatonist.
21:51
com</i>, to get your hands on the season 23 <i>Hot Ones</i> lineup. Milk not included.
21:58
Ice cream highly recommended.
22:00
And remember, be careful around the eyes.